Radio Spectrum - Which Conditions for Mobile Broadband and 4G growth? (3rd Edition)

Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary

2. Methodology

3. Digital Dividend: a unique opportunity for mobile broadband?

• 3.1. Regulatory situation in Europe
  • 3.1.1. Status of analogue TV switch-off
  • 3.1.2. Action of the European Commission
• 3.2. Technical plan for the 800 MHz band in Europe
• 3.3. What is the status of Digital Dividend in Western Europe?
  • 3.3.1. Denmark
  • 3.3.2. Finland
  • 3.3.3. France
  • 3.3.4. Germany
  • 3.3.5. Switzerland
  • 3.3.6. UK
• 3.4. Digital Dividend in the rest of the world
  • 3.4.1. WRC-07 decision
  • 3.4.2. USA
  • 3.4.3. Japan

4. Spectrum refarming: the short-term solution for mobile broadband rural coverage?

• 4.1. A definition of spectrum refarming
• 4.2. The 900 MHz band at the heart of refarming issues
  • 4.2.1. Potential benefits
  • 4.2.2. The distribution of the 900 MHz spectrum could slow down the refarming processes in some countries
  • 4.2.3. The GSM Directive
  • 4.2.4. Other frequency bands
• 4.3. UMTS 850 and 900 MHz deployments
  • 4.3.1. Australia
  • 4.3.2. Finland
  • 4.3.3. France
  • 4.3.4. Sweden
  • 4.3.5. Switzerland
  • 4.3.6. United Kingdom

5. 4G spectrum: which frequency bands and at what cost?

• 5.1. 4G market projections and impact on spectrum needs
  • 5.1.1. Market projections
  • 5.1.2. Spectrum needs
• 5.2. Which frequency bands are being used in each region?
  • 5.2.1. Existing bands
  • 5.2.2. FDD and TDD convergence
  • 5.2.3. 4G spectrum in the world
  • 5.2.4. Spectrum used by mobile operators
• 5.3. 2.6 GHz band status
  • 5.3.1. FDD/TDD arrangements
  • 5.3.2. European Commission Decision
  • 5.3.3. Harmonisation of the 2.6 GHz band is not likely in Europe
  • 5.3.4. Japan
  • 5.3.5. Hong Kong
  • 5.3.6. South Korea
  • 5.3.7. USA
• 5.4. 3.5 GHz band status: potential for 4G in the long term
  • 5.4.1. Current and future use
  • 5.4.2. Regulatory context - European Commission
  • 5.4.3. Status in Europe and in the USA
• 5.5. S-Band: opportunities for a satellite complement to terrestrial networks
• 5.6. Strategies of mobile operators
  • 5.6.1. How to deal with data traffic explosion?
  • 5.6.2. Network sharing and its impact on spectrum valuation
• 5.7. Spectrum valuation and the cost of 4G spectrum
  • 5.7.1. Cost of WiMAX spectrum
  • 5.7.2. Cost of LTE spectrum
• 5.8. The technological factor
  • 5.8.1. Spectrum efficiency gains
  • 5.8.2. SDR base station facilitate spectrum re-use
  • 5.8.3. FDD channelisation
  • 5.8.4. OFDMA and spectrum flexibility
• 6. Glossary

Table of contents

1. Executive Summary

2. Methodology

3. Digital Dividend: a unique opportunity for mobile broadband?

• 3.1. Regulatory situation in Europe
  • 3.1.1. Status of analogue TV switch-off
  • 3.1.2. Action of the European Commission
• 3.2. Technical plan for the 800 MHz band in Europe
• 3.3. What is the status of Digital Dividend in Western Europe?
  • 3.3.1. Denmark
  • 3.3.2. Finland
  • 3.3.3. France
  • 3.3.4. Germany
  • 3.3.5. Switzerland
  • 3.3.6. UK
• 3.4. Digital Dividend in the rest of the world
  • 3.4.1. WRC-07 decision
  • 3.4.2. USA
  • 3.4.3. Japan

4. Spectrum refarming: the short-term solution for mobile broadband rural coverage?

• 4.1. A definition of spectrum refarming
• 4.2. The 900 MHz band at the heart of refarming issues
  • 4.2.1. Potential benefits
  • 4.2.2. The distribution of the 900 MHz spectrum could slow down the refarming processes in some
• countries
  • 4.2.3. The GSM Directive
  • 4.2.4. Other frequency bands
• 4.3. UMTS 850 and 900 MHz deployments
  • 4.3.1. Australia
  • 4.3.2. Finland
  • 4.3.3. France
  • 4.3.4. Sweden
  • 4.3.5. Switzerland
  • 4.3.6. United Kingdom

5. 4G spectrum: which frequency bands and at what cost?

• 5.1. 4G market projections and impact on spectrum needs
  • 5.1.1. Market projections
  • 5.1.2. Spectrum needs
• 5.2. Which frequency bands are being used in each region?
  • 5.2.1. Existing bands
  • 5.2.2. FDD and TDD convergence
  • 5.2.3. 4G spectrum in the world
  • 5.2.4. Spectrum used by mobile operators
• 5.3. 2.6 GHz band status
  • 5.3.1. FDD/TDD arrangements
  • 5.3.2. European Commission Decision
  • 5.3.3. Harmonisation of the 2.6 GHz band is not likely in Europe
  • 5.3.4. Japan
  • 5.3.5. Hong Kong
  • 5.3.6. South Korea
  • 5.3.7. USA
• 5.4. 3.5 GHz band status: potential for 4G in the long term
  • 5.4.1. Current and future use
  • 5.4.2. Regulatory context - European Commission
  • 5.4.3. Status in Europe and in the USA
• 5.5. S-Band: opportunities for a satellite complement to terrestrial networks
• 5.6. Strategies of mobile operators
  • 5.6.1. How to deal with data traffic explosion?
  • 5.6.2. Network sharing and its impact on spectrum valuation
• 5.7. Spectrum valuation and the cost of 4G spectrum
  • 5.7.1. Cost of WiMAX spectrum
  • 5.7.2. Cost of LTE spectrum
• 5.8. The technological factor
  • 5.8.1. Spectrum efficiency gains
  • 5.8.2. SDR base station facilitate spectrum re-use
  • 5.8.3. FDD channelisation
  • 5.8.4. OFDMA and spectrum flexibility

6. Glossary

Tables & figures

• Table 1: Broadcast - Analogue switch-off timetables
• Table 2: Approaches towards Digital Dividend in selected countries
• Table 3: FDD arrangement for the 800 MHz band
• Table 4: TDD arrangement for the 800 MHz band
• Table 5: Digital Dividend time-table
• Table 6: US 700 MHz auctions
• Table 7: Summary of US 700 MHz auctions
• Table 8: 900 MHz band use for 3G - August 2009
• Table 9: Spectrum for mobile operators in the UK
• Table 10: Predicted spectrum requirements by the year 2020 for IMT - 2000 and IMT-Advanced
• Table 11: Main frequency bands for UMTS/HSPA deployment - FDD mode
• Table 12: Main frequency bands for UMTS/HSPA deployment - TDD mode
• Table 13: WiMAX frequency bands
• Table 14: TDD and FDD mode advantages and drawbacks
• Table 15: Frequency bands for 4G technologies
• Table 16: New 4G spectrum
• Table 17: Date of availability of LTE spectrum
• Table 18: FDD mobile spectrum availability in Western Europe
• Table 19: FDD spectrum assets for selected operators (end-2007)
• Table 20: Mobile spectrum in Germany and in the UK
• Table 21: TDD and FDD spectrum arrangements in the 2.6 GHz band
• Table 22: 2.6 GHz award date and conditions
• Table 23: Norwegian 2.6 GHz auctions results
• Table 24: Swedish 2.6 GHz auctions results
• Table 25: 2.6 GHz operators in Japan
• Table 26: Hong Kong 2.6 GHz auction
• Table 27: 3.5 GHz spectrum in Western Europe
• Table 28: Options for mobile operators facing congestion and/or coverage difficulties
• Table 29: Valuation of 2.6 GHz FDD and TDD spectrum (for 10 years)
• Table 30: Cost of the 3.5 GHz licences
• Table 31: Estimates of LTE spectrum value in Western Europe
• Table 32: Spectrum efficiency and data rate per sector
• Table 33: Potential for wide radio channels in different frequency bands

• Figure 1: 800 MHz band arrangements
• Figure 2: GSM 900 spectrum in selected European countries
• Figure 3: Availability of new spectrum in Western Europe
• Figure 4: Digital Dividend timetable in Western Europe
• Figure 5: 800 MHz band arrangements
• Figure 6: Digital Dividend timetable in Western Europe
• Figure 7: UK - Digital Dividend revised plan
• Figure 8: Digital Dividend in EMEA, Americas and APAC regions
• Figure 9: Use of 790 - 862 MHz globally
• Figure 10: Digital Dividend in Japan
• Figure 11: 900 MHz refarming - coverage issues
• Figure 12: CAPEX and OPEX reduction using the 900 MHz band
• Figure 13: GSM 900 spectrum in selected European countries
• Figure 14: GSM 900 spectrum in France
• Figure 15: GSM 900 spectrum in the United Kingdom
• Figure 16: Global LTE adoption forecast _ end-2012 - end-2015 (million subscribers)
• Figure 17: LTE adoption forecast for the EU5 and Scandinavia, 2012 - 2015
• Figure 18: FDD and TDD duplex both supported by LTE
• Figure 19: Availability of new spectrum in Western Europe
• Figure 20: Cumulative spectrum in Western Europe
• Figure 21: The CEPT and European band plans for the 2.6 GHz band
• Figure 22: The 3.5 GHz band in Europe
• Figure 23: S-Band in Europe
• Figure 24: Operator objectives and solutions
• Figure 25: Cost of new mobile licences/spectrum
• Figure 26: 3.5 GHz arrangements for mobile services
• Figure 27: Description of OFDM